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DeKalb student to go to national spelling bee

ATLANTA — A 13-year-old from DeKalb County will represent Georgia in the Scripps National Spelling Bee Championship in Washington, D.C.

Simola Nayak from Henderson Middle School spelled "tautologous" correctly to win the state bee Friday. She bested 20 competitors from across the state.

The runner-up was 13-year-old Andalib Malit Samandari from DeKalb County's Renfroe Middle School. He will represent Georgia if Nayak is unable to attend the national contest.

In addition to a free trip to the national bee, Nayak received $1,000, an Amazon Kindle, a $100 savings bond and a dictionary, among other prizes. The national bee is May 27 through June 1.

The state bee is sponsored by the Georgia Association of Educators.

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